Nigeria U20 head coach Abdu Maikaba targets redemption with the Flying Eagles as they go up against the Young Stallions of Burkina Faso in this year’s WAFU B U20 Championship final on Sunday, www.aclsports.com reports.
It is the second time the Abdu Maikaba-led side will battle the Burkinabes in this competition, both teams having met in the group stage with the Young Stallions winning 2-0.
Maikaba believes his side has the opportunity to avenge the group stage defeat in the final on Sunday.
“I think this is an opportunity for us to redeem ourselves having lost to Burkina Faso in the group stage. Having played them before, we now have an idea of their shape and structure, and we are working on how to capitalize on their weaknesses, while also consolidating on our own strength.”
”It has been a gradual process, and we have arrived here against Burkina Faso. We met in the group stage, and we lost; this is the second time in the final. I hope it will be our turn to win the game so that we can round it up with a trophy,” the former Akwa United head coach added.
Meanwhile, the two teams are meeting for the first time in the final of the regional competition with all previous meetings happening in the group stage.
In 2022, the Flying Eagles met the Young Stallions in Niger Republic, with the tie finishing in a 2-2 draw. When both teams clashed in 2024 in Lome, the Stallions pipped the Flying Eagles 1-0.
While the seven-time African champions are bidding to retain the trophy they won in Lomé in October 2024, Sunday’s clash will also decide WAFU B’s second representative at next year’s U20 AFCON, with hosts Ghana already guaranteed a place in the finals.
Sunday’s clash is scheduled to take place at the Stade Charles Konan Banny in Yamoussoukro, with kick-off set for 7pm.
